The present disclosure includes a hinge assembly for use in a hinged attachment of a panel relative to a frame and providing movement of the panel relative to the frame. A link which provides an extension or reach motion and positioning of the assembly, shown for purposes of illustration and not limitation in the form of a gooseneck arm, is provided in the hinge assembly to facilitate an extended range of motion of the hinge assembly. A first spherical bearing assembly and a second spherical bearing assembly are operatively associated with a bearing end of the link to provide multiple degrees of motion while securely retaining the panel relative to the frame. The hinge is intended to provide universal application of a single version of a hinge which can be used in multiple locations as facilitated by the multiple degrees of motion provided by the bearing end of the link.
By way of background, a variety of gooseneck hinges have been developed for attachment of a panel or door to a frame. Such gooseneck assemblies provide a plate and flange attached to a frame with a gooseneck arm pivotally attached to the flange. A point of rotation allows the arm to move relative to the flange. The arm generally extends along a predefined path and includes attachment points such as a corresponding plate and flange assembly on an end distal from the frame end attached to the flange. The distal end of the arm is attached to the panel at a specific location so that when the panel is closed relative to the frame the gooseneck can retain the hinge end of the panel. Often times a latch assembly is positioned spaced from the hinges to provide a locking feature to retain the panel in a closed position over the opening defined by the frame.
Some gooseneck hinges are provided with a locking mechanism to allow the hinge to lock in an open position once the panel is displaced relative to the frame. This allows the panel to be held by the hinges in an open position. The locking feature of the gooseneck hinge can be useful to further reduce the number of parts that are required in an assembly. It may be useful to reduce the number of parts because it can decrease initial installation time and can reduce the cost associated with the hinge assembly maintenance, and repair. As an example, prior art designs may have used a separate hold open rod to hold the panel in the open position relative to the frame once it is displaced to the open position. The use of a locking mechanism associated with the hinge helps eliminate such a hold open rod assembly space use, installation, cost, weight, and maintenance.
As an additional matter, some prior art hinge assemblies are custom designed for each specific application. In this regard, multiple hinge assemblies may be designed to hold and hinge a single panel. Other hinge assemblies can be designed for other panels. However, it would be useful to reduce the number of parts managed, parts inventories maintained, and increase the number of parts bought by having a single more universal hinge assembly which can be used for a variety of panel and frame assemblies. In this regard, it would be useful to provide a hinge assembly which increases the degree of motion to facilitate movement of the panel relative to the frame thereby facilitating the use of a single type of hinge for multiple applications. The use of a gooseneck hinge can be useful in this application because it can provide extended displacement of the panel relative to the frame.
This background information is provided to provide some information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present disclosure. No admission is intended, nor should such admission be inferred or construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present disclosure. Other aims, objects, advantages and features of the disclosure will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner. Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.